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Pambazuka News is produced by a pan-African community of some 2,600 citizens and organisations - academics, policy makers, social activists, women's organisations, civil society organisations, writers, artists, poets, bloggers, and commentators who together produce insightful, sharp and thoughtful analyses and make it one of the largest and most innovative and influential web forums for social justice in Africa.

Latest titles from Pambazuka Press

African Sexualities

A ReaderSylvia Tamale
A groundbreaking book, accessible but scholarly, by African activists. It uses research, life stories and artistic expression to examine dominant and deviant sexualities, and investigate the intersections between sex, power, masculinities and femininitiesBuy now

Global NATO and the Catastrophic Failure in Libya

Horace Campbell
In this elegantly written and incisive account, scholar Horace Campbell investigates the political and economic crises of the early twenty-first century through the prism of NATO's intervention in Libya.Buy now

Queer African Reader

Edited by Sokari Ekine, Hakima Abbas A diverse collection of writing from across the continent exploring African LGBTI liberation: identity, tactics for activism, international solidarity, homophobia and global politics, religion and culture, and intersections with social justice movements.
A richness of voices, a multiplicity of discourses, a quiverful of arguments. African queers writing for each other, theorising ourselves, making our ...more
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China and Angola

A Marriage of Convenience?Edited by Marcus Power, Ana Alves
This book focuses on the increased co-operation between Angola and China and shows that although relations with China might have bolstered regime stability and boosted the international standing of the Angolan government, China is not regarded as a long term strategic partner.Buy now

How Europe Underdeveloped Africa

Walter Rodney
Rodney shows how the imperial countries of Europe, and subsequently the US, bear major responsibility for impoverishing Africa. They have been joined in this exploitation by agents or unwitting accomplices both in the North and in Africa.Buy now

Emerging Powers Digest: 14th Edition, 5 December 2014

In today’s newsletter the Emerging Powers project announces a call for grant applications; gives a summary of Zuma's travels to China and the signing of the 5-10 Year Framework on Cooperation between the two countries; highlights Ethiopia's budding textile industry and relations with China; India's growing investment presence in Africa; militarization of the continent by the emerging actors. The news digest also provides analyses and news reports on China's evolving foreign policy and diplomatic relations. Read these and other news items in this week's edition of the Emerging Powers in Africa news digest.

Call for Grant Proposals

The Emerging Powers in Africa Project is issuing a call for grant proposals. The grants are aimed at examining the political, economic, social and cultural impact of the emerging powers footprint in Africa. The grant is specifically related to empowering civil society actors in gaining the appropriate knowledge and developing the necessary tools to articulate an informed perspective on the emerging powers in Africa and the corresponding impact.

Daisy Díaz

Daisy Díaz, executive secretary of Cuban-African Friendship Association, sent Pambazuka readers this postcard, commemorating both African Liberation Day and the second anniversary of the passing of Pan-Africanist Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem on 25 May.

Aaron O'Dowling-Keane

25 May is both African Liberation Day and the anniversary of the sad passing of Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem. Aaron O'Dowling-Keane reflects on Tajudeen’s bold and intelligent insights, his steadfast commitment to Pan-Africanism and the esteem with which he was held.

Evelyn Osagie

As you arrive at Hauwa Memorial College (HMC), Funtua, Katsina State, you are welcomed into its classrooms with these quotations: ‘Today's struggle is tomorrow's success’; ‘Better die in a quest than be a coward’; ‘A gentleman without policy is like education without certificate...’ and more written by the students. But the words are not the only things that catch your attention. HMC, Funtua, is is in a state of abject disrepair and two years after its founder's death, the place is under the threat of closure, writes Evelyn Osagie

Walter Turner and Horace Campbell

In an interview for the Africa Today programme on KPFA [mp3], Walter Turner speaks to Horace Campbell about Tajudeen's immense contribution and the challenges for a revolutionary world. Campbell is the author of the foreword to the new Pambazuka Press book 'Speaking Truth to Power', a compilation of Tajudeen's weekly Pan-African Postcards.

Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem and Assumpta Oturu

As part of a Spotlight Africa radio programme broadcast last Saturday 22 May, Assumpta Oturu introduces excerpts of Tajudeen's thoughts on Pan-Africanism, African history and his wishes for Africa in the new millennium. The audio programme is available at http://tinyurl.com/2w6fkfe [mp3].

Dana Wagner

The death of Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem one year ago was marked on Tuesday 25 May in Nairobi with the launch of 'Speaking Truth to Power', a collection of his Pan-African Postcards. His legacy was manifest amidst Africa Day celebration and debate. Images from the day accompany this article.

Review of 'Speaking Truth to Power: Selected Pan-African Postcards'

Amir Demeke

In the week of the anniversary of the first year of Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem's passing, Amir Demeke reviews 'Speaking Truth to Power', a compilation of Tajudeen's weekly Pan-African Postcards. Describing the book as 'a well-balanced meal', Demeke stresses: 'For those who read for enlightenment, find a copy of the book and turn on the light.'

Firoze Manji

Pambazuka News

www.justiceafrica.org25 May is Africa Liberation Day. What a day to be woken in the early hours of the morning with the terrible news that one of the leading proponents of Africa's liberation – Tajudeen Abdul Raheem should be so tragically lost in a senseless car accident in Nairobi. Messages have been pouring in from across the world as we all fail to hold back our tears at this loss.
Tajudeen led Justice Africa's work with the African Union since its early days. He combined this with his role as General Secretary of the Pan-African Movement, chairperson of the Centre for Democracy and Development, the Pan-African Development Education and Advocacy Programme, and was a fighter in the struggle to get the UN's Millennium Development Campaign to support meaningful programmes. There was hardly a pan African initiative that took place without Tajudeen's inimitable presence, support, humour and perceptive political perspectives. Quite how he managed to combine all of this with writing his weekly 'Pan African Postcard' that were published regularly in Pambazuka News and in several newspapers including The Monitor (Uganda), Weekly Trust (Nigeria), The African (Tanzania), Nairobi Star (Kenya) and the Weekly Herald (Zimbabwe), has always been a mystery to us. You could always rely on Tajudeen to draw our attention to the most significant aspects of the latest political event in Africa - just as you could rely on him to provide guidance and encouragement during hard times, restoring in us the courage for the longer struggles ahead for emancipation of the continent.
Tajudeen's departure leaves a massive hole in all our lives. We all need to grieve the loss of this giant of a man. But if his life is to mean anything, we must follow his call in the signature line of his every email – 'Don't agonise, Organise!'
As part of our tribute to Tajudeen, comrade, brother and fighter of Pan-Africanism, Pambazuka News invites you to send messages of condolence and tribute either by email to editor AT pambazuka.org or add your comments below.

Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem

The irony of Africa being a very rich continent but Africans being some of the poorest peoples in the world is no longer lost on anyone. While we can argue about the historical, structural, attitudinal, personal and institutional causes of this state of affairs the fact remains that majority of our peoples remain in need amidst plenty. Decades of Aid, humanitarian intervention, prayers, activism, development plans, action plans, government declarations and so many other initiatives have not produced fundamental change for the poorest and weakest sections of our societies, writes the late Tajudeen in his last Pan African Postcard.